By Gram Slattery, Alexandra Ulmer and Joseph Tanfani for Reuters
In the moments after the shots were fired, Secret Service agents scramble to protect former US president Donald Trump, at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Photo: AFP/ Rebecca Droke
Republican lawmakers said they would launch swift investigations into how a sniper apparently managed to evade Secret Service agents and climb onto the roof of a building near where Donald Trump was speaking at an election rally and fire multiple shots before being killed.
Mike Johnson, speaker of the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives, said panels in the chamber will call officials from the Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI for hearings soon.
The House oversight panel called Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify on 22 July.
While information about the incident was still sparse, early media reports said the shooter was outside the security perimeter of the rally venue in Butler, Pennsylvania. One person interviewed by the BBC said he had seen the man with gun and tried unsuccessfully to alert police and the Secret Service.
More coverage on the assassination attempt against Donald Trump:
- Trump rally shooting hardly surprising, amid violent political rhetoric
- Trump rally shooting: What we know so far
- In photos: Shooting disrupts Trump rally
FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek, speaking at a press briefing, called the number of shots the attacker was able to fire "surprising."
The Secret Service did not have a representative in that press briefing late on Saturday, which included FBI and state law enforcement officials.
A Secret Service member, positioned in front of the crowd, points in the moments after the shooting. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Anna Moneymaker
The Secret Service said shortly after the shooting that it has begun an investigation and briefed Democratic President Joe Biden, Trump's rival in the 5 November election, though the agency did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment regarding its protocols.
The Pennsylvania state police referred questions to the Secret Service.
Ben Maser said he was outside the rally perimeter, listening to Trump, when he noticed two officers seemingly looking for someone. Maser, a 41-year old welder, started scanning the area too.
"I saw the guy on the roof. I told the officer that he was up there. He went about looking for him," said Maser.
Law enforcement and Secret Service agents react after the shots. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Anna Moneymaker
Security review
The attack is certain to lead to a review of Trump's security, and going forward he will likely be provided with a level of protection more akin to a sitting president, said Joseph LaSorsa, a former Secret Service agent who served on the presidential detail.
"There will be an intensive review" of the incident and "there's going to be a massive realignment," LaSorsa said. "This cannot happen."
The Secret Service had said it recently added "protective resources and capabilities" to Trump's security detail, without providing further details.
A retired agent who worked in protective services, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the incident should spark an internal review, and ideally an external one too.
"The gravity of the situation demands thorough scrutiny to prevent such failures in the future and to ensure accountability on all levels," said the former agent.
Trump being escorted from the stage. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Anna Moneymaker
Securing Trump rallies
During most of Trump's campaign stops, local police aid the Secret Service in securing the venue. Agents from other agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, such as the Transportation Security Administration, occasionally help.
Many Trump rallies feature thousands of audience members, take place in the open air and last for hours.
Before the event, agents scan the venue for bombs or other threats, and Trump invariably arrives in a fortified motorcade.
Law enforcement officials typically put up barriers as a perimeter, and require all attendees to go through a metal detector to enter the venue. Armed protective agents search all attendees' bags and even wallets. Many rallygoers are patted down by hand.
Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service agent who retired in 2020, said agents would have surveyed all the rooftops with a line of sight ahead of time.
"This person either concealed themselves until they became a threat, or were not a threat until they revealed their weapons," said Eckloff.
In the moments after Trump was injured, the former president was quickly surrounded by Secret Service personnel who formed a human shield, while heavily armed agents in body armour and toting rifles also took to the stage and appeared to scan the area for threats.
Trump was whisked by the agents to a black SUV, and taken to a local hospital, according to the campaign.
Trump was bundled into a vehicle and driven away from the rally location. Photo: AFP/ Getty - Anna Moneymaker
-Reuters
